The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-11-10
HISTORY
EMORY SOCIETY :!
MADISON TOWNSHIP, JACKSON COUNTY

or -
MADISON TOWNSHIP, JACKSON COUNTY
A PAPER READ BEFORE THE SOCIETY SEPTEMBEl
18TH, 1887, AND PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.
In the early part of this Century, say
from 1910 to 1880, there emigrated to thi:
locality a number of heroic men ant
women; some from Virginia, some from
the Eastern States, and number from
across the great ocean. Some of these
came from "Merry old Hingland," while
a few came from the s'Fadderland of Ger
many" Our country was then an almost
unbroken wilderness, but our Fathers
and Mothers for the most part had stall
wart frames, and undaunted hearts
which, added to their strong faith in an
overruling providence, not only eminent
ly fitted them to endure the hardships
and privations of a frontier life, but also
led them to plant early the Standard OF
Christianity in their midst. Among those
who thus early, as heads of families, set
tied in this neighborhood, and attached
| themselves to different societies, were
George and Hannah Smith, John and
Polly Mossbarger, Jessie and Elizabeth
Gillian, Clement and Catharine Cheering
ton, Josiah and Fannie Cherington, Day.
is and Margaret Booten, James and Sallie
Love, William Parkins, and Grace Street.
The above named persons did not all, at
first, belong to the same society, but some
united themselves to different societies,
meeting at other places. Some at Davis
Bottoms, and afterward at James Loves,
others at Clement Cherington's, and still
others at "Old Zion," located near Centre
vile. Such was the status of affairs un-
til 1888, when, finding that their numbers
had increased, they decided to build a
church for their better accommodation.
A place few yards west of where you
now sit so comfortable, was selected, al
though there was not even a bride path
which led near it, and but little to rec
ommend it, save the fact that it was cen
trail, and that it was surrounded by ma
ture, whose God they came to adore. The
land belonged to James Love, and was
by him conveyed to the following named
persons, as Trustees to wit: Clement
Cherington, George Smith, Davis Booten,
Jesse Gillian, Josiah Cherington, Joseph
Street, James Love- John Mossbarger and
William Parkins. 1 now hold in my
hand the original and only deed ever
made to the premises. 1t bears date De-
cember the oath 1888 thus being nearly 40
years old. So you see that those of us
who shall be alive, may, if we choose,
celebrate our semi-centenial sometime
during the coming year. 1t appears by
its partly destroyed condition, to have
been at one time snatched as brand
from the burning. May not this be typi-
cal of the rescued condition of many
through the saving influence of this
Church?
1t was decided to name the building
Emory Chapel, after the now sainted
Bishop of that name. The Church was
probably dedicated by Samuel Hamilton,
their first Presiding Elder The structure
was about 80 40 feet, weather-boarded
on outside and plastered within. The
carpenter work was done by Solomon
Mackley, brother of the late Davis Mack
ley of the jackson Standard, part of the
lumber having been sawed by the primi-
tive method known as "whip saving"
The younger members may not know,
that this method consisted in hewing a
log square with broad ak, then striking
lines to show the thickness of plank de-
sired, after which the log would be ele-
waited upon scaffold several feet from
the ground. One of the sawyers would
stand upon the log, and the other beneath.
1t is said to be very laborious work, and
for the one underneath "hard on the eyes"
The plastering was done by a Mr.. Davis,
Father-in-law to our neighbor Thomas
Sims. The lime rock was brought from
near Rio Grande and burned here. The
finishing coat was Of burned muscle
shells, gathered from the bed of Raccoon
Creek, and made a good finish. The
Church boosted but one aisle, and rude
uncomfortable seats. The writer's first
recollections of the pulpit, reminds him
somewhat of a section of a water tank at
one of our Rail Road watering Stations.
The preacher ascended by spiral stair
way, when kneeling low, he was invisi-
ble, except to the all-seeing eye, and when
standingswas less than half visible to the
audience. To the infantile mind the
Minister seemed to be tantalizing the au-
dience, by pounding and stamping around,
hallooing and shaking his fists without
any one being able to get at him, or even
daring to respond.
The Circuit was then called "Letart
Falls Circuit" and enumerated 2S ap-
pointments. 1t extended more than 80
miles above Gallipolis, though it did not
include the town. The first Ministers
were Jacob Delay and William Ander-
son. Like many of their successors in
the priestly office they made their rounds
regularly on horseback, with large sad
die pockets to carry their books and cloth
ing. L have been told, that they preached
nearly every day, and frequently did
much of their reading while in the sad
die. The names of some Of the Ministers
who have since served this Church, and
whose influence for good has come down
through the years, are Bateman, Shelton,
Sheets, Benner, Munsell, Lloyd, Alder
man, Seybrook, Cartliches, Hamilton,
and last though not least our own below
| ed Mitchell. dong &c.
The first Leader the class had after the
church was built was Josiah Cherington,
after which they were led by Samuel Par
kins, Jesse Gillian, Joseph Waddell,
Samuel Prose, jefferson Mossbarger,
George johnson, William Norman, and
John Stringfellow, all gone to their eter-
nal reward. The bones of some of them,
rest in our own little city of the dead,
and we have no doubt they will form a
part of the first resurrection, for we are
taught that the dead in Christ shall rise